Change in diet, physical activity, and body weight among young-adults during the transition from high school to college

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The freshmen year of college is likely a critical period for risk of weight gain among young-adults.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A longitudinal observational study was conducted to examine changes in weight, dietary intake, and other health-related behaviors among first-year college students (n = 186) attending a public University in the western United States. Weight was measured at the beginning and end of fall semester (August – December 2005). Participants completed surveys about dietary intake, physical activity and other health-related behaviors during the last six months of high school (January – June 2005) in August 2005 and during their first semester of college (August – December 2005) in December 2005.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>159 students (n = 102 women, 57 men) completed both assessments. The average BMI at the baseline assessment was 23.0 (standard deviation (SD) 3.8). Although the average amount of weight gained during the 15-week study was modest (1.5 kg), 23% of participants gained ≥ 5% of their baseline body weight. Average weight gain among those who gained ≥ 5% of baseline body weight was 4.5 kg. Those who gained ≥ 5% of body weight reported less physical activity during college than high school, were more likely to eat breakfast, and slept more than were those who did not gain ≥ 5% of body weight.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Almost one quarter of students gained a significant amount of weight during their first semester of college. This research provides further support for the implementation of education or other strategies aimed at helping young-adults entering college to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight.</p

Characteristics of Suicide Attempts in Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa: A Case–Control Study

Objective: Compared to other eating disorders, anorexia nervosa (AN) has the highest rates of completed suicide whereas suicide attempt rates are similar or lower than in bulimia nervosa (BN). Attempted suicide is a key predictor of suicide, thus this mismatch is intriguing. We sought to explore whether the clinical characteristics of suicidal acts differ between suicide attempters with AN, BN or without an eating disorders (ED). Method: Case-control study in a cohort of suicide attempters (n = 1563). Forty-four patients with AN and 71 with BN were compared with 235 non-ED attempters matched for sex, age and education, using interview measures of suicidal intent and severity. Results: AN patients were more likely to have made a serious attempt (OR = 3.4, 95 % CI 1.4–7.9), with a higher expectation of dying (OR = 3.7,95 % CI 1.1–13.5), and an increased risk of severity (OR = 3.4,95 % CI 1.2–9.6). BN patients did not differ from the control group. Clinical markers of the severity of ED were associated with the seriousness of the attempt. Conclusion: There are distinct features of suicide attempts in AN. This may explain the higher suicide rates in AN. Higher completed suicide rates in AN may be partially explained by AN patients ’ higher desire to die and their more severe and lethal attempts

Modelo etiológico dos comportamentos de risco para os transtornos alimentares em adolescentes brasileiros do sexo feminino

Resumo: O objetivo foi construir um modelo etiológico dos comportamentos de risco para os transtornos alimentares em adolescentes brasileiros do sexo feminino. Participaram 1.358 adolescentes de quatro cidades. Foram avaliados os comportamentos de risco para os transtornos alimentares, insatisfação corporal, pressões midiáticas, autoestima, estado de humor, sintomas depressivos e perfeccionismo por intermédio de escalas psicométricas. Peso, estatura e dobras cutâneas foram aferidos para calcular o índice de massa corporal (IMC) e o percentual de gordura (%G). O modelo de equação estrutural explanou 76% da variância dos comportamento de risco (F(9, 1.351) = 74,50; p = 0,001). Os achados indicaram que a insatisfação corporal mediou a relação entre as pressões midiáticas, autoestima, estado de humor, IMC, %G e os comportamentos de risco (F(9, 1.351) = 59,89; p = 0,001). Vale destacar que embora os sintomas depressivos não tenham se relacionado com a insatisfação corporal, o modelo indicou relação direta com os comportamentos de risco para os transtornos alimentares (F(2, 1.356) = 23,98; p = 0,001). Concluiu-se que somente o perfeccionismo não aderiu ao modelo etiológico dos comportamentos de risco para os transtornos alimentares em adolescentes brasileiras

Does weight change relate to psychological variables and eating behaviours in combat sports?

Purpose Athletes who perform combat sports tend to engage in weight-management strategies to fit in a specific weight class that are characterized by disordered eating behaviours. This study aimed to (1) characterize eating behaviours and adaptation to stress regarding an unwanted weight change before a competition; (2) evaluate the differences between athletes who consider unwanted weight changes as a challenge or as a threat in regard to emotions, coping strategies and eating behaviours; and (3) evaluate whether some of these variables related to the unwanted weight change (e.g., emotions, cognitive appraisal of the situation) are predictors of disordered eating behaviours in combat sports. Methods A total of 166 combat sports athletes (75.3% male), aged between 14 and 56 years (M = 22.73; SD = 8.03), filled out a set of questionnaires that evaluated personal variables, cognitive appraisal (threat/challenge), coping, emotions, and eating behaviours related to an unwanted weight change before a competition. Results Most of the athletes (57.3%) reported high levels of stress related to the experience of an unwanted weight change before a competition. Athletes who perceived this experience as more of a threat had significantly more eating concerns, anxiety, dejection, anger, active confrontation and emotional support. Athletes who perceived it as more of a challenge experienced more excitement and happiness. Athletes who perceived a high threat and low challenge experienced significantly increased anxiety levels and athletes who perceived this experience as a low threat and the low challenge had decreased anxiety. The desire to weigh less, the perception of a threat regarding weight changes, the ability to cope with denial, and anxiety emerged as predictors of disordered eating behaviours. Conclusion To prevent or reduce disordered eating behaviours, it is important to promote adequate strategies to deal with weight changes before a competition and, consequently, positive emotions among sports combat athletes.This study was partially conducted at the Psychology Research Centre (PSI/01662), University of Minho, and supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education through national funds (UID/PSI/01662/2019) and by the following grant to Silvia Felix (CIPSI-BI-PP-2019-04). The funding bodies had no role in the design, collection, analysis, or interpretation of the data; the writing of the manuscript; or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication